AGREEMENT RENEWING AN ALLIANCE
BETWEEN
THE KANSAS CITY AND WICHITA AREA OFFICES
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (OSHA)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
AND
THE KANSAS CITY JOINT ELECTRICAL APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING COMMITTEE (KC-JATC)
AND
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS (IBEW)
Local Union 124
AND
KANSAS CITY CHAPTER NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS’ ASSOCIATION (NECA)
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Kansas City and Wichita Area Offices (OSHA); the Kansas City Joint Electrical Apprenticeship and Training Committee (KC-JATC); International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 124 (IBEW); and the Kansas City Chapter-National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) continue to recognize the value of maintaining a collaborative relationship to foster safety and health practices and programs to improve American workplaces. To that end, OSHA, KC JATC, IBEW, and NECA hereby renew the Alliance signed May 20, 2022, with a continued emphasis on providing their apprentices and union members with information, guidance, and training to prevent burns, electric shocks, electrocutions, and other health and safety hazards in the construction industry. Specifically, KC-JATC, IBEW, and NECA are committed to providing KC-JATC apprentices, IBEW and NECA members, and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect workers and understand the rights of workers and responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Through the Alliance, the organizations will continue to address how to prevent burns, electric shocks, and electrocutions in the construction industry.
This agreement provides a framework and objectives for the alliance's activities. Alliance participants also agree to meet the requirements for program participation laid out in the "Fundamental Requirements for OSHA Alliance Program Participants" and the "Guidelines for OSHA's Alliance Program Participants: Alliance Products and Other Alliance Projects." https://www.osha.gov/alliances/alliance-products-guide
Through this Alliance, the organizations will continue to address injury, illness, and hazard exposure data, when appropriate, to identify areas of emphasis for awareness, outreach, and communication activities. The Alliance participants will also explore and implement selected options to evaluate the effectiveness of the Alliance and measure the impact of its overall effort on improving workplace safety for employers and workers. In renewing this Alliance, OSHA, KC-JATC, IBEW, and NECA recognize that OSHA's State Plan and Onsite Consultation Program partners are an integral part of the OSHA national effort, and information about the products and activities of the alliance may be shared with these partners for the advancement of common goals.
Raising Awareness: Outreach and Communication
The participants intend to work together to achieve the following objectives:
- Share information on OSHA's National/Regional initiatives (Emphasis Programs, Regulatory Agenda Outreach), opportunities to participate in initiatives, and the rulemaking process.
- Share information on occupational safety and health laws and standards, including the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers to prevent electrical shocks, electrical burns, electrocutions, and other health and safety hazards in the construction industry.
- Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA and KC-JATC, IBEW, and NECA local association meetings and other related events.
- Encourage KC-JATC apprentices IBEW and NECA members to build relationships with OSHA's Regional and Area Offices to address health and safety issues, including electrical safety, personal protective equipment, and suicide prevention in the construction industry.
Training and Education
The participants intend to work together to achieve the following objectives:
- KC-JATC will develop effective training and education programs for their apprentices regarding the identification, prevention, and control of potential electrical hazards in the construction industry. Also, KC-JATC is responsible for communicating this information to constituent employers, workers, and union members and ensuring training materials/programs are made available in appropriate languages and formats to equitably meet the needs of their target audiences.
- KC-JATC will develop and deliver basic, intermediate, and advanced electrical courses for apprentices, employers, workers, and union members.
- KC-JATC will develop effective training and education programs for KC-JATC apprentices to promote understanding of workers' rights, including the use of the OSHA complaint process and the responsibilities of employers, and to communicate such information to workers and employers. Also, KC-JATC is responsible for communicating this information to constituent employers and workers and ensuring training materials/programs are made available in appropriate languages and formats to equitably meet the needs of their target audiences.
OSHA's alliances provide organizations an opportunity to participate in a voluntary cooperative relationship with OSHA for purposes such as raising awareness of OSHA's initiatives, outreach, communications, training, and education. These alliances have proven to be valuable tools for both OSHA and alliance participants. By entering into an alliance with an organization, OSHA is not endorsing or promoting, nor does it intend to endorse or promote, any of that organization's products or services.
An implementation team made up of representatives of each organization will meet one to two times per year to track and share information on activities and results in achieving the goals of the alliance. OSHA team members will include representatives of the Kansas City and Wichita Area Offices and any other appropriate offices. OSHA will encourage State Plans' OSHA On-Site Consultation program's participation on the team.
This Agreement will remain in effect for five years. Any signatory may terminate the Alliance for any reason at any time, provided they give thirty (30) days written notice. This Agreement may be modified at any time with the written concurrence of all signatories.
Signed at Kansas City, Missouri, in duplicate, this 21st day of June, 2024.
The U.S. Department of Labor's
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Kansas City Area Office
Karena Lorek
Area Director
The International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers Union,
Local 124
Joseph "BO" Moreno
Chairman and Business Manager
The U.S. Department of Labor's
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Wichita Area Office
Todd Underwood
Area Director
The Kansas City Chapter
National Electrical Contractors
Association
Kenneth C. Borclen
Secretary and Chapter Manager
The Kansas City Joint
Electrical Training Committee
Shon D. Lee
Training Director
